


Sort It Out

by madmeridian



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It of Sorts, Kinda, M/M, Sickfic, matt and mello live au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:35:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28701555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madmeridian/pseuds/madmeridian
Summary: Melloishappy that Matt and Linda have come to visit in New York City- he's just not so happy they're staying with Near.
Relationships: Mello | Mihael Keehl/Near | Nate River
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	Sort It Out

**Author's Note:**

> For Hope: "I would love to see one where Near gets sick/overwhelmed with a lot of people and Mello comforts him/takes care of him"
> 
> I'm sorry that this is so late (I've been excited to do this one for a while) I hope you like it! I did take some liberties with the prompt but I think I did okay!

“We’re going to be in town next week,” Matt said. In the background, Mello could hear the clicking of his controller and some sort of game playing. 

“You’re actually coming to New York?” Mello asked. Matt and Linda had been traveling around for a while, though Matt had told Mello that they’d be going to London next. Not New York.

“Well, we weren’t planning on it, but Near’s there now and Linda wants to visit him. And obviously I’d like to go, since we haven’t actually seen each other in a while.” 

“Near’s here too?” 

“Don’t act like you didn’t know, you two keep tabs on each other all the time. I know you keep an eye on his headquarters there.” 

“Yeah, fine, I did see that they were there. Are you gonna stay with him?” 

“He offered us a whole floor to ourselves. I figured you could come over. Linda wants to see you again too, but I don’t think she’ll want to go to your grubby apartment. I sure as hell don’t.” 

“You lived in this apartment too and are half the reason it’s grubby. But as long as Near isn’t anywhere near me, I’ll go.” 

“I hoped you would say that,” Matt said cheerfully. “I’ll let you know when we’re there and all that.” 

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you then.” 

Mello sighed after they’d hung up. He was happy to see Linda and Matt, but the fact that there was a chance he’d have to see Near made him restless. He didn’t have the same loathing for Near as he had when they were younger, but he still wasn’t fond of the other successor. 

Hopefully Near would be smart enough to stay away.

* * *

“It’s so good to see you again, Mello!” Linda said excitedly, throwing her arms around him enthusiastically. Matt came over and piled on, the two of them squeezing him so hard he thought his ribs might break.

“It’s good to see you guys again too,” Mello laughed. “It’s been too long. How was your flight?” 

“It was terrible,” Matt complained. “We had a few kids who screamed the whole damn flight. Once we got here, we just passed out because we couldn’t even sleep.” 

“Near was nice enough to get us a flight on short notice though,” Linda said, elbowing Matt. “We thought we’d have to stay there for another month.” 

“How kind of him,” Mello said, unable to hide the tinge of bitterness in his tone. 

“You ought to talk to him.” Linda looked at him with unusual determination that left no room to argue. “I know you don’t like him, but you haven’t even tried in the past few years. Don’t you think you could’ve outgrown this stupid childhood rivalry?” 

She paused for a minute, then realizing what she had said. Sheepishly, she excused herself to the bathroom. 

“Don’t mind her,” Matt said, flopping down on the couch. “Near’s actually kind of sick right now and she’s always been a little protective of him.” 

“He is?” Mello wasn’t really surprised Near was sick. He’d never really been the picture of health and had gotten ill more than a few times at Wammy’s. 

“Yeah, we only came in and saw him for a bit. He didn’t look so good.” 

“I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Mello sat down next to Matt and crossed his arms. 

“You should consider what Linda said though.” 

“I didn’t come here for you two to gang up on me.” 

“Okay, okay, I get it. I won’t talk about it anymore, promise. What have you been up to, anyway?”

* * *

Mello decided to visit them on their second day in the city too. He’d recently solved what he considered one of the last worthwhile cases around. There were others he could take, but they were boring and Mello wanted a break while his friends were actually here. 

But, when he got to the building, their floor was empty. Mello called out for them. No response. He pulled out his phone and texted Matt. 

_Where are you guys_

His phone buzzed a minute later.

_sorry man, forgot you said you were coming over. me and linda are out rn_

Mello rolled his eyes and texted back.

_Okay, just gonna head home then_

Matt texted him another apology, but Mello ignored it and shoved his phone in his pocket. He was irritated he was invited and then they blew him off. 

As he stood in the elevator, he contemplated what he was going to do. He’d planned to hang out with Matt and Linda, but now he had nothing to do at all. 

Mello stared at the little tenth floor button, knowing well that floor was the one Near’s control room was in. No one was probably there right now. 

_Click_

The elevator dinged and Mello stepped out. As he’d thought, the room was completely empty, of people at least. There were toys everywhere, of course. Near never picked up after himself. 

The computer screens were all off, files all tucked away neatly, other than the ones on a desk space Mello assumed was Near’s. 

A familiar teddy bear sat on the desk chair there. Mello had seen it plenty of times before. Many children had items from their parents, their past lives. Near had walked into Wammy’s with this bear. He’d carried it around everywhere for a while, until Near had realized that older kids might try to destroy it or take it. After that, Mello had only ever seen it if Near were sick or injured.

Without thinking, he picked it up and headed towards the elevator. Surely it wouldn’t hurt if he were to just drop it off to Near. As a peace offering. 

He had considered what Linda said and thought that maybe trying to be at least civil wouldn’t hurt. 

After a while of guessing floor numbers, he finally found one that was also cluttered with toys. Mello could also hear voices echoing somewhere on the floor. He walked in, careful not to step on anything.

The voices got clearer and louder. Mello recognized Halle speaking. Then Near’s low voice saying something irritably. 

“I want to be left alone,” Near said coldly. Mello turned the corner, leaning in the doorway. 

“You need to eat,” Rester insisted. Mello almost laughed at that. If Near didn’t want to eat, he wasn’t going to. 

“Mello,” Near greeted. He did look terrible, tired and feverish. The other three turned around, each one surprised to see Mello actually standing there. 

“You might just want to leave him be. He’s a nightmare to take care of when he’s sick, none of the nurses of Wammy’s ever wanted to do it.” 

“We’re not-” 

Halle shushed Gevanni and ushered the other two out the door, giving Mello a slight look. The door shut behind them. 

“I don’t want anyone near me right now,” Near told him, glaring a bit. “I just want to be alone.” 

“Fine, then I’ll sit outside the door and you can holler if you need me. I just came to give you this,” Mello said, holding out the bear. Near took it cautiously, looking at him with suspicion. “Found it in your control room.” 

Mello turned around, leaving the room. He heard a quiet “thank you” from Near as he shut the door. He went out to the kitchen area and dragged one of the chairs near Near’s door and sat there.

There was no logical reason for him to stay here and guard Near’s door, and yet there he stayed.

* * *

“Mello?” Near’s muffled voice called through the door, jolting him awake. “Are you still there?” 

“Yeah. You need something?” Mello asked back, voice scratchy from sleep. He rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the grogginess. 

“A glass of water, please,” Near said. Mello stood and stretched, then headed towards the kitchen to do as asked. While he did, he tried to remember how he ended up here at all. Why had he even thought to bring Near his stupid ass bear?

He turned off the faucet and headed back towards Near’s room with the glass of water anyway. 

Mello knocked on the door and pushed it open. Near still looked like shit, laying in bed as if he were half-dead. Near’s pale hand reached out for the cup. 

“You can stay,” Near said, sipping at the water. “I was under the impression you didn’t want to see me. Linda told me that if I were to run into you, I shouldn’t speak to you at all.” 

“Yeah, that’s what I asked,” Mello responded dumbly. 

“Then why are you here, speaking to me?” 

“I don’t know,” Mello snapped, sitting at the edge of Near’s bed. “I really have no clue why I’m here. I went up to your headquarters to snoop around and saw your fucking bear and Linda said you were sick so I-” 

Mello cut himself off before he could say anything damning. He should’ve never come here, he should’ve forced Linda and Matt to just come to his shithole apartment because then he would’ve never ended up in this position. 

“I appreciate it nonetheless,” Near said. “My team cares about me, but they can be overbearing. I don’t like being crowded like that.” 

“You’re welcome.” Mello scowled, crossing his arms, pointedly staring anywhere but Near. “I’m surprised they actually left you with me.” 

“I’m not. Halle trusts you, as do Matt and Linda. The three of them have been on Rester and Gevanni’s case about you since they got here.” 

“About trusting me?”

“I don’t know about trust but the three of them seem to be under the illusion the two of us could get along if we tried. Linda attempted to initiate a conversation about it ten times since she’s been here.”

“You’ve only seen her for two days.” 

“And she hasn’t stopped in those two days. I don’t know why she’s suddenly so insistent on it now.” 

“She got on my case too,” Mello recalled. “She was upset at me.” 

“Upset at you for what?” 

“Not trying to make amends with you.” 

“It’s futile,” Near said, looking up at the ceiling. “I won’t tell them you were here, by the way. We can just pretend it never happened.” 

Mello paused, watching as Near picked at the bedsheets silently. 

“What if she’s right?” 

“What?” 

“What if Linda’s right and I should make amends with you?” 

Near stared at him, head tipped in curiosity. Trying to figure out if this was a trick, probably. Apparently he was satisfied with whatever he saw, the barest hint of a smile on his lips.

“Then I’d say you’ve made a good start,” Near finally responded.

**Author's Note:**

> yay, my last request done! I might open them again one day, but I'm going to focus on other things for now :) (though I still will post the occasional prompt ask game on tumblr, of course) I've also only got two other fics to post this week (and maybe an update for Tangled, if I can manage) 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Any kudos/comments are appreciated! <3


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